Benjamin f



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. THOMAS, OF CAMDEN, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO PHILIP BAY, OF SAME PLACE.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,747, dated July 18, 1893.

' Application filed April 3, 1893. Serial No. 468,917. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: passed through the apertures din the plate B. Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. THOMAS, a The apertures c, c, are formed at the inner citizen of the United States, residing at Oamedge of the flanges O, C, so that the main den, in the county of Carroll and State of Inbody of the plate B lies close against the front 5 diana, have invented certain new and useful face of the post. The lower flange O of the Improvements in Fence-Posts; and I do hereretaining plate is of such length that it can by declare the following to be a full, clear, and he bent upwardly to, extend along the rear exact description of the invention, such as face of the post A parallel to the main body will enable others skilled in the art'to which it of the plate 13 on the opposite side of the post. 1o appertains to make and use the same. The upper end of the upturned portion of the My invention relates to improvements in lower flange, terminates flush with the surface fence posts and the object of the invention of the ground. is to prevent any lateral movement of the post My improved retaining plate canbe placed in the ground. on the post prior to driving or setting the r 5 With this end in view my invention consame, or the post may be first driven into the sists in the combination with a post, of a plat ground the desired distance and the plate B having its ends bent to extend at right angles then slipped on over the upper end thereof, to thebody thereof and provided with aligned and, after being forced down the desired disapertures through which the post extends. tance, firmly secured in position by bending 20 My invention further consists in the pecuthe lower flange up against the rear face of liar construction and arrangement of parts, as the post and by the wires D. will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and An anchor or retaining plate constructed claimed. and attached to a post in the manner herein- In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is before described prevents any lateral move- 2 5 a front elevation of afence post provided with ment of the post and materially strengthens my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation it at and above the surface of the ground at of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective the point where the greateststrain occurs and view of the retaining plate. where it is most likely to be broken.

Like letters of reference denote correspond- My improved retaining plate is very simple o ing parts in the several figures of the drawand cheap of manufacture; can be readily apings, referring to which plied to a post and operates to maintain the A designates any desired form or style of post firmly in position. post. To the post A is attached a retaining Having thus fully described my invention, plate B which extends for a portion of its what I claim as new, and desire to secure by 5 length below the surface of the ground and Letters Patent, is

serves to prevent the post from movinglater- 1. The combination with a fence post, of a ally. The retaining plate B is preferably retaining plate provided at opposite ends with made in the form shown in Fig. 3 and is proparallel laterally extending flanges having vided at its ends with parallel laterally exaligned apertures formed therein to receive 4c tending flanges C, O. Aligned apertures c, the post, substantially as described.

0, are formed in the flanges O, 0', through 2. The combination with a fence post, of a which apertures the postA extends. The apretaining plate arranged to extend along one ertures in the flanges O, C, which flanges are face of the post both above and below the surpreferably formed by bending the plate, conface of the ground and provided at its ends 5 form to the cross sectional shape of the post with integral parallel flanges having aperso that the post fits snugly therein; and the tures formed therein to receive the post, subretaining plate is further attached to the post stantially as described. by means of fastening wires,D, which extend 3. The combination with a fence post, of a around the post and through aperture d retaining plate which extends partially below I00 50 formed in the body of the plate. The two the surface of the ground and is provided at lowermost line wires of the fence may be its ends with parallel flanges having formed therein aligned apertures through which the tween the flanges on the retaining plate, and

post extends, the lower flange being bent up passing through apertures in the body of said against the rear face of the post, substantially plate, substantially as described.

as described. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 5 4. The combination with a fence post, of a presence of two witnesses.

retaining plate which extends partially below the surface of the ground and is provided at BENJAMIN THOMAS its ends with parallel flanges in which are Witnesses: formed aligned apertures to receive the post, E. 0. RICE,

IO and wires D extending around the post, be- OHASQE. BAKER. 

